


11th Hour

by Anonymous



Series: Unpopular characters and rare pairings [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Politics, M/M, POV Peter Pettigrew, Peter Pettigrew-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-04 12:56:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14593503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Peter and Sirius sit together on election night despite being opponents.





	11th Hour

They were in Peter's study together on the most important night of Peter's life. Sirius insisted it was because he wanted to see Peter's face when the moment of defeat came, and also that his team could handle itself for one evening. Peter's aides had gotten a fire roaring for them. They were outside with the rest of Peter's staff. He could hear the rise and rise and rise and fall of their voices as results from districts came pouring in one after another. Sirius was also listening to the buzz. The whiskey Sirius had brought in 'as a consolation price' was warm when Peter took a sip. Sirius was on his third glass.

"I don't understand," Sirius said again. Losing was new to him and he wasn't wearing it well. He looked half traumatised, swallowing his whiskey whenever he snapped out of it, his clothes getting more and more dishreveled.

"What's hard to understand?" Peter said finally. He was relaxed and pleasantly tipsy. Peter had more wins than Sirius knew; he knew how to hide them behind his words and the naive expression he used almost all the time these days. He knew better than to gloat.

"You. Winning," Sirius spat draining his glass and refilling it. Peter didn't know whether Sirius' campaign sheltered him or if Sirius buried his head in the sand. It should be obvious.

During every campaign stop no matter how small or big, Peter was a friend to the men, the kind whose wife would bake pies for the neighbours and would host parties celebrating the community. To the women, Peter was the man they'd call to escort them at night, the kind who'd make repairs for them with his eyes firmly on their face. They would have his ear when they needed it.

Sirius would only appear in front of the largest crowds. He was their king. It was just their luck that he voluteered to run the country, the state it was in. However the time for men like Sirius was over. Shame, really, that had Sirius kept the boyish charm voters were familiar with, the race would have been closer.

The door opened some time later. Sally, a bespectacled middle aged woman Peter met a decade ago, stuck her head in and told him, "You won."

Sally closed the door immediately. Sneering inwardly, Peter downed the rest of his drink. He declined Sirius' offer for more. "I have to make a speech soon."

The drink gave him a flush that would work well with what he had planned to say. Sirius set his glass down with an ugly look. He said, "Don't want to keep you. I'll be heading back to my side of town." Peter didn't expect a concession speech but it still stung. Sirius stood up buttoning his suit jacket and flattening his hair.

"Sirius," Peter held out an arm to stop him, "love," he added sweetly. Sirius snorted but he remained. Slowly, Peter reached out for his hand and brought it to his face and kissed it, not looking away from Sirius the entire time.

"You'll make it upto me," Sirius stated. Anger rose quickly through Peter but he bit the inside of his cheeks and nodded, licking his lips. Then before Sirius could speak again, Peter surged forward and kissed him. Within seconds, Sirius went from tightly wound to pressing pliantly against Peter's body. Blood rushed through Peter's body. This was why he kept Sirius. It was why he was considering keeping him longer. No one else gave him that heady feeling. It almost made up for the past year. Almost but not enough. 

There was admittedly a bigger reason Peter continued to play the pushover since their childhood. Peter planned to spend a single term in office. He'd leave after making some things better without changing much. Afterwards the career Peter wanted would begin with a much bigger pay of course. Sirius would be key then. If Black International pays exhobitant prices to hear Peter speak, he'll be good enough for everyone else. For now, this plan was his secret. 

"I will," Peter replied smiling as though he was looking forward to it. He comforted himself, as he gave a humbling, emotional speech in front of a large crowd of supporters, with the thought that everyone was replaceable.


End file.
